Page 299 - Important Chinese Art Hong Kong April 2, 2019 Sotheby's

Exceptional for the depth of its landscape carving and its 此屏雕工卓絕，山水層次立體，氣勢蓬勃，細膩逼
vigorous and realistic execution, this panel screen reveals 真，實乃大師之傑作。屏風兩側雕山水全景，附乾隆
the hand of a true master. 帝御題詩一首，歎大清疆域之遼闊，並以漢武帝公元
The panoramic scene carved on both sides of the panel is 前101年收服大宛之壯舉作比（《漢書》卷二十二）
described in a poem composed by the Qianlong Emperor (r. 。御題詩以隸書寫就，乃出自內閣大學士及山水大家
1736-1795), evoking the distant geographical reach the Qing 董誥之手。
empire had achieved, by alluding to the History of Former
Han, the Han shu, chapter 22, and its mention there of the 此類插屏，以紫檀為座者多見，如此例之通體紫檀
Han Emperor Wudi’s (r. 141-87 BC) conquest of Ferghana 者，則極為珍罕。紫檀木質極密，紋絡細膩，適於精
in 101 BC. The inscription was calligraphed in an elegant 雕細刻。質地光滑如玉，色澤由赤紅至褐紫，年久亦
‘clerical script’ (lishu) hand by Dong Gao (1740-1818), 顯烏黑光澤，含蓄沉穩，有「包漿亮」之稱。
Grand Secretary during the Qianlong reign and a renowned
landscape painter himself. 紫檀尤得清廷青睞，然因明代至清初大肆採伐，此木
Although many panel screens are supported by zitan stands, 又長勢緩慢，至清中期，紫檀木已需進口，極為珍
examples solely made of this precious wood appear to be 貴。清廷遂嚴加管控，僅限宮廷御用。 據《養心殿
very rare. Zitan is an extremely dense wood and the fine 造辦處各作成做活計清檔》記載，紫檀之使用嚴受內
texture of the grain is particularly suitable for intricate 廷監管，無旨不得擅動。見田家青，〈 Zitan and Zitan
carving. Its smooth texture has been compared to silky jade Furniture〉，載於《Chinese Furniture. Selected Articles
and its rich red to deep purplish-brown colour, develops
with time a natural black shine referred to in Chinese as from Orientations 1989-1999》，香港，1999年，頁193-
baoxiangliang (‘noble lustre’). 199。
The wood was especially highly valued by the Qing court, 此屏所雕山水，構圖精妙，深刻立體，精緻細膩，樹
but extensive use during the Ming and early Qing combined
with the tree’s slow growth, had made zitan a rare, expensive 葉茂密，層次分明。此等雕工，乃出自清宮木作巧匠
imported timber by the time of the mid-Qing period. Strictly 之手，技藝非凡。可參考一紫檀寶座之背屏例，亦雕
controlled, the prized material was primarily reserved for 立體山水，現藏北京首都博物館，錄於田家青，《清
use within the Palace walls and even there, according to the 代家具》，香港，1995年，英譯本1996年，圖版54。
Qing dynasty Archives of the Imperial Workshops at Yangxin
Hall, its use was closely supervised by the Qianlong Emperor 如此例之插屏，清代尤為盛行，除裝飾之外，將其置
himself, see Tian Jiaqing, ‘Zitan and Zitan Furniture’, Chinese 於羅漢床之上，亦可擋風。清代著作《紅樓夢》中曾
Furniture. Selected Articles from Orientations 1989-1999, 記，此類「炕屏」珍稀異常，曾作賈母八十大壽之賀
Hong Kong, 1999, pp. 193-199.
禮，見 Sarah Handler，〈Outstanding Pieces in Private
The present screen displays a compositional virtuosity Rooms: Chinese Classical Furniture in New American
and refined high relief carving, particularly notable in the Collections〉，《Chinese Furniture. Selected Articles from
depiction of the different varieties of multi-layered leaves, Orientations》，前述出處，頁166-174。
pointing to a level of technical skill that is characteristic of
the Imperial Wood Workshop and which can be compared to
similarly deep landscape carving of panels featuring on an 可比較一紫檀及黃楊木御題詩插屏例，紋飾立體，雕
imperial throne in the Capital Museum in Beijing, illustrated 工精巧，刊於安思遠，《洪氏所藏木器百圖》，香
in Tian Jiaqing, Classic Chinese Furniture of the Qing Dynasty, 港，2005年，編號78。另見一年代稍晚之紫檀例，定
Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 54. 代十九世紀，售於倫敦佳士得2012年5月18日，編號
1194。
Low panel screens, such as the present example, were
popular pieces of furniture used not only as decoration, but
foremost, as protection for example on daybeds, against 董誥，乾隆五年（1740年）生，卒於嘉慶二十三年

drafts. Such kangping (‘bed screens’) were precious items （1818年），終年七十九歲。 工部上書董邦達長子，
and are mentioned in the well-known 18th-century novel 精書法，善繪畫，更通曉軍事，與其父有「大董、小
The Dream of the Red Chamber among the valuable gifts 董」之稱。
presented to grandmother Jia on her eightieth birthday,
see Sarah Handler, ‘Outstanding Pieces in Private Rooms: 董誥乾隆二十九年（1764年）中舉，隔年會試，名列
Chinese Classical Furniture in New American Collections’, 一甲第三，得中探花，乾隆皇帝將其改為二甲第一，
Chinese Furniture. Selected Articles from Orientations, op.cit.
pp. 166-174. 作金殿傳臚，形降實升。嘉慶四年（1799年），董誥
六十歲，已從庶起士、編修、工部侍郎、軍機大臣、
Compare a zitan and boxwood table screen similarly 東閣大學士等，擢為文華殿大學士（即宰相），欽賜
carved in high relief and inscribed with an imperial poem, 「紫禁城騎馬」。直軍機先後四十年。
illustrated in Robert H. Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture: One
Hundred and Three Examples from the Mimi and Raymond
Hung Collection, Hong Kong, 2005, no. 78; and another 董誥被兩朝皇帝所器重，死後六天，嘉慶皇帝親臨祭
zitan example of later, 19th century, date sold at Christie’s 奠，所寫哀詩中有「只有文章傳子侄，絕無貨幣置田
London, 18th May 2012, lot 1194. 莊」之句，並親自撥款建立「董公祠」。

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